The Women's Job -

Whatever It Takes To Get The Job - Intro

Autor - Ashil.K

ALL STORY LIST | CHAPTERS - CH 1 

His immediate concern was transportation. How could he get a job, even a "no experience required" job, without transportation?

Since his unemployment checks had run out his folks had been sending money for food and rent, but he knew that was a serious strain on their modest income.

At 23 it looked like he'd be moving back home. Not that Michigan had a much better job market than Nevada. The economy was improving, but it had a long way to go.

When he'd originally moved, the image of the Silver State had reeked of excitement and opportunity, but it had turned out to be just like everywhere else.

Employers preferred college degrees, and entry-level positions didn't pay all that much. He had entered one of the casino dealer's schools and graduated, but he should have saved the money because there weren't any openings for newbies.

As everyone knew – and constantly talked about – the housing market had tanked a couple years ago and Nevada was one of the places hit the

hardest. A year ago he was laid off.

Everyone was hanging on to the cash they had, not spending money, and not hiring. He hadn't changed, but the world around him had.

Now his car had been repoed. He'd even had to take a bus to the temp agency. That had been a joke. The TV ads indicated they had a lot of jobs that needed to be filled, from no skills to highly skilled, but all they were really after was a lot of data about the available workforce. No doubt if they did line up some jobs they'd be able to fill them with the perfect candidates, but as to immediate openings they had zip. Andy had waited with over a thousand others, only to have his application taken and told if anything appropriate to his skills became available they'd call.

Well, his skills consisted of nothing but his certificate from the dealer's school, and there was already a huge surplus of blackjack dealers.

He regarded moving back home as the ultimate defeat. He'd gone out on his own and now would have to go back and let his parents support him. He couldn't imagine living at home again. A loser.

His father called a month later and asked how he was doing, which meant did he have a job yet. There was no pressure, but the call had depressed him. No job, no prospects. Dad, can you send the plane fare; I'm going to have to move back home. He hadn't said it but he should have. Why ask them to finance his food and rent for another month? No job, no prospects.

"Mr. Burton?"

"Yes." Another collection call.

"This is Miss Tobbet with Western Square Employment Agency. You filled out an application with us two months ago. The new temp agency on Nellis? Are you still available?"

He was so surprised he didn't answer.

"Mr. Burton?

"Yes, I, uh. Yes, I'm sorry. I got distracted. You have a job for me?"

"We think so," the woman said. "You meet the qualifications. Would you be willing to relocate?"

"To where?"

"Paducah."

"Kentucky?"

"It's the only Paducah I've ever heard of," she said, a smile in her voice. "They need someone quickly. The pay is twenty percent over your last reported salary and they cover travel expenses, and they'll deduct our fee each week, as was outlined in your application. There's the standard six-month probationary period, but the job is full-time and permanent."

"What is the job?" he asked. It didn't matter. If it was standing in the rain eight hours a day he would have lunged at it.

"The job description is 'warehouseman'. I'm afraid I don't have any more

information than that."

"Warehouseman sounds fine with me," he said, trying to restrain the absolute joy he felt.

"Good. Can you come by tomorrow and fill out the paperwork?"

"Sure. Of course. What time?"

"Anytime tomorrow," she said. "The forms will be at the front desk. It's the same office where we took your application."

"Without the crowds," he said.

"That was quite a scene, wasn't it? It was like that all week," said.

"So you'll be by tomorrow? Once you sign the forms, you'll be issued a check to cover your preliminary moving expenses."

"That's fast," he said, thinking it couldn't be fast enough.

"Yes," she said. "As I understand it, they opened their new facility and we're going to transfer people, but at the last minute decided to keep the old warehouse open, too."

"And you're hiring for a company in Kentucky?"

"We have branches all over, but the company you'll be working for actually has its management offices here in Las Vegas, so they came to us."

"Well, great," Andy said. "And thank you. Thank you very much."

"Our pleasure. Good luck."

A job. A freaking job. I've got a freaking job! Andy suddenly felt happy, almost delirious, for the first time in a long time. He laughed out loud.

He deposited the small expense check.

When he got back to his modest apartment his message light was blinking.

Miss Tobbet asked him to call her.

"I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, Mr. Burton, but there's been a bit of a mix-up, and it seems the warehouse job has already been filled.

I'm terrible,

sorry."

Andy felt as if the air had been sucked from his body. His knees buckled

and he groped for the couch.

"What happened?"

"A miscommunication. I feel so bad," she said. "I'm going to have to ask you to return the airplane ticket, and the expenses advance. This is the worst phone call I think I've ever had to make. I know you really needed this, and I can't tell you how sorry I am."

"Me, too," Andy said. "Listen, it's not your fault. I'll bring the ticket and a check to the office tomorrow afternoon. I already deposited the check, and I'll have to write you one from my account. You'll probably have to wait for my check to clear."

"I'm sure it won't be a problem," she said. "I'm very sorry."

Andy had already called his parents to celebrate his good fortune. Now he'd have to call them back. Miss Tobbet said it was the worst phone call she'd ever had to make. Now he'd have to make the worst phone call he'd ever had to make.

He sank further into depression over the next few days, spending most of his time in bed, or in front of the television. He didn't shave and barely ate. He sat on the couch, staring at nothing, and suddenly

realized an hour had gone by and he had no recollection of anything that had happened during that time. It didn't matter. Nothing did.

On the fourth day, the phone rang.

"Mr. Burton?"

"Yes."

"This is Miss Tobbet at Western Square."

"Oh."

"I do hope you're sitting down, Mr. Burton," she said.

"You have the job."

"What? What job?"

"The one we talked about," she said. "I told my boss what a terrible thing we'd done to you and she made some calls and made the whole thing

right again."

"Warehouseman?" he said.

"Yes, Mr. Burton," she said. "Just imagine our last conversation never took place. My boss is very forceful and said the mix-up looked very bad for Western. She got with the employer and, well, it was all good news after that."

"That's wonderful," Andy said as if coming out of a trance.

"Wonderful." He knew he sounded giddy, but didn't care.

"It is, isn't it? Well, we've recut your check and have your ticket, and this time we're sending a messenger to deliver it. Will you be home this afternoon?"

"Will I be home?" he laughed. "You bet I'll be home."

"This is a screw-up of intergalactic proportions."

Avery Nilstadt, Personnel Director for Kentucky Operations and the man in the suit behind the desk, stared at Andy as if he expected an answer. Andy nervously smiled.

"Intergalactic," Nilstadt said. "I'm sorry we wasted your time. You'll be compensated, of course. I don't know how this could have happened, but you can bet I'm going to find out."

"This happened with the employment agency back in Las Vegas," Andy protested. "But they straightened it all out. All you have to do is call them."

"I did," the man said. "As soon as the receptionist told me you were

here."

"But what about the job?" Andy said. He had to fight to keep a begging tone out of his voice.

"There is no job," Nilstadt said. "We filled all the warehouse positions locally. Why would we have to fly someone in from Las Vegas? It's a screw up."

"I need that job," Andy said, his desperation obvious.

"I know," the man said sympathetically. He clasped his hands in front of him, "But there isn't one. I'm sorry. Really, I am. And I'll make damn sure they cut you a check to get you back to Las Vegas and compensate you for your time."

The man sounded like a replay of Miss Tobbet.

"There's got to be something," Andy said. "I came all this way... I need

a job."

"I know, and I apologize," Nilstadt said. "It's our fault."

"There's nothing? I'll take anything. Minimum wage. Anything."

"Not a thing," the man said. "This is just a small division, to begin with, and the new warehouse isn't big. There isn't" He hesitated.

"What?"

The man looked at him. "Well, No. Never mind. Look, let's go see about getting you some return plane fare."

"What were you doing to say?" Andy asked, uncaring that desperation had

leaked into his voice.

The man looked at him so directly that Andy felt intimidated. "Well"

"What?" Andy almost begged. "You're thinking of something. What is it?" The man sighed.

Andy waited, feeling as if he was going to burst.

"Are you straight?" the man asked.

Andy was taken aback. "I don't think you're supposed to ask that."

"No, you're right. I'm sorry. Forget it. You just seemed like you really, Just erase it. Never said it. Let's go get you that plane fare."

"Wait! Tell me about the job. You were thinking of a job."

The man hesitated and looked around the office. He looked at Andy and lowered his voice. "Are you straight?"

Andy frowned. "Yes," he said.

"Really?" the man asked.

"Of course!" Andy said.

"Ever wear girl's clothes?"

"No. God, what a question. " The conversation was whacky and frustrating.

The man leaned forward and lowered his voice even further. "There is a

job."

Andy nodded eagerly.

"But it's about the weirdest job you'll ever hear about. Intergalactic weird."

Andy waited.

"The owner of the company gets these, notions. The latest is about how men and women are really interchangeable. No, that's not it exactly. I don't understand it, but he's started another little company, only a few employees so far, and his notion is to have guys dress up in women's clothing."

"I don't understand," Andy said.

"Like I do? But he's the boss, right? It's all very secret, but it was mentioned to me, as head of personnel, that if I found someone qualified I should send him over."

"And I'm qualified? Just how am I qualified for that?"

"Age, height, weight, cheeks mostly. At least that's what they tell me. They've got some huge databases they use. You'd still..."

"Hold it," Andy interrupted. "Age, height, weight, and cheeks? What do you mean, cheeks?"

"You've come to the wrong guy for details," Nilstadt said. "Don't models have high cheekbones? They get hired for that, right? Or maybe it's rosy cheeks, though yours aren't particularly rosy as far as I can

see. But those are wild guesses on my part. The whole thing is a mystery, a mystery of intergalactic proportions. I know more than anyone here, and I don't know anything."

"High cheekbones," Andy said. "That's too weird."

"Well, worry about it later. You don't even have a job yet. You'll have to go through an interview with the big guy, but I could say I found someone and that would be good for me. I just didn't want to mention it because, well"

"I don't know what to say," Andy said.

The man snorted. "Yeah, you and me both. Whatta ya think?"

"I'll take it," Andy said quickly. "I'd have to dress in, what? Like a dress? And do what? In the warehouse?"

"In an office. Clerking, I imagine. That part's a little vague. The new company doesn't actually do anything yet; not that I know of. It's just starting up."

"This isn't one of those weird sex things, is it?"

The man threw his hands in the air. "Good god, no! Damn, man, what put that notion in your mind? Geez!"

"I don't understand it," Andy said.

"Good, then that makes two of us. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Hey, give me a second," Andy said, unmindful that he was telling a personnel director what to do.

"You don't need a second," the man said. "It's too odd, I know. Forget I

mentioned it."

"Yeah it's odd," Andy said. "You're saying I'd still have to go through another interview?"

"That's what they tell me."

Maybe it was another mix-up, Andy thought. The last week had been a series of them. But it was a job. Maybe. He should at least go to the trouble of finding out exactly what the job was and not depend on

Nilstadt's vague and probably inaccurate impression.

"Can you make me an appointment?"

"You sure?" asked the man.

"Yes."

The man hesitated. He looked at Andy. "Okay," he said as if he'd given up. He reached for the 'phone.

Andy waited for the company car outside of the office, thinking about all the things that had been said at the Western Square agency and here in Paducah at the personnel director's office. It didn't take him long to get the feeling that he'd just been conned.